The Confederacy: Truth and Reconciliation

Words + Music, Vol. 7

By: T Bone Burnett

Narrated by: T Bone Burnett

"Racism is a disease of white people, and I don't intend to be quiet about it." (Albert Einstein)

“I agree with Einstein about that, and I don't intend to be quiet about it either.” (T Bone Burnett)

Legendary Grammy Award-winning producer and towering musical icon T Bone Burnett speaks plainly, which is all the more reason why his stunning new Words + Music, The Confederacy: Truth and Reconciliation, lands with such force. And his songs, delivered straight from the heart, carry with them the weight of unvarnished truth and the wisdom he’s gathered from a lifetime.

Through performance of his own words and music, in just a little more than 90 minutes runtime, T Bone confronts the choking influence of white supremacy in the United States - from its inception to its current state - reckoning with the musical, political, and personal influences that have shaped his career and his understanding of the human spirit in America. Part history, part personal essay, it is above all a call to action: to reject white supremacy and reconcile our nation’s racist past.

Delivered in his steadfast, gritty voice, T Bone’s meticulously crafted prose recounts the horrors of our nation’s history, its far-reaching, systematic oppression of African Americans to this day, the delusion of grandeur much of Anglo-America still suffers from, and the critical need for personal and societal change if we are to redeem ourselves in any capacity - and survive as a people. All of this T Bone lays bare, not by high-and-mighty finger pointing but through a sense of shared destiny and faith in each other. T Bone’s Words + Music is an honest hand reaching out for ours, urging us to grapple through this, mindfully, together. His words are further punctuated by his own heart-rending music, seamlessly woven in and out of his storytelling, and building upon his open plea. Each song, including “River of Love”, “Quicksand”, and “Hefner and Disney”, is thoughtfully plucked from his prolific catalog.

As T Bone connects the dots for us using well-established facts, personal experience, and skillful songwriting, we are drawn to a resounding truth: that although our past is undeniably paved with unspeakable ills, they must be spoken; denying it only compounds the problem. As T Bone rightly concludes, we are all at a difficult crossroads. But his solution could not resonate any clearer: the path forward requires a hard look within. Join T Bone Burnett and listen to his call.

“Let's make a future where we all want to live.”

“Let's make a past we don't have to forgive.”

(T Bone Burnett)

©2020 T Bone Burnett (P)2020 Audible Originals LLC

Loved it!

I didn’t think I could love T Bone Burnett more but apparently I was wrong.

The racists really hate this story

Cynthia should know it’s “short sighted” not “short sided” before she posts her idiocy.
For those that think it’s rewriting history, perhaps you just leaned a white washed version of it and not the truth.
Ignorance is a choice and too many people keep making that choice.
We need more voices like Burnett’s and less like the MAGA cult.

Appreciation with caveats

I can acknowledge that T-Bone Burnett has made his career by copying and collaborating with Black musicians, and getting recognition for making Black music as a white musician, and his awareness of the all the white privilege he has enjoyed while the industry has minimized Black musicians contributions, recognition, and compensation over hundreds of years. He can't change what was done,

I guess it comes off as a white guilt rather than a call for reparations. He might be more "woke" than others, and good for him for just putting this out there. Telling us he knows better. It's more than other people with influence have done.

His sincerity counts for something. And I hope he becomes an influencer for putting Black musicians voices before his own.

Inspiring and enlightening

Loved it and wish more people would listen to it. Eye opening and beautifully narrated.

I wish everyone in the world would listen to this.

And I mean really listen. I was both enlightened and moved to tears. Thank you.